About the Musicians
Kevin Harris, piano
A distinctive trait of internationally recognized jazz pianist Kevin Harris is his desire to constantly grow, evolve, improve, and advance. His interest to interweave traditional and contemporary music styles, visual arts, electronic media, science, and language, is what distinguishes his music and what renders his performances unique experiences, meant to activate the audience’s senses and personal curiosity.
"Participation,” Harris says, "is what keeps our souls alive.” As a leader, Harris has released six albums. Both live and recorded performances reflect Harris’s determination to capture his audience through explorative interactions that Terri Lyne Carrington describes as "an exciting commitment to quality."
Harris’ music education has its foundation in the degrees he has received, but equally importantly in Black Gospel and Afro-Caribbean styles of music. He possesses the unique ability to compose complex, uplifting, tempestuous, and deeply stimulating notes.
One of the captivating elements of his ensembles, from duet to orchestra setting, is the level of comfort and understanding they have with one another. Harris is known for his diving into soulfully expressive conversations and playful exchanges of ideas with his musicians, while always providing the space to improvise in the moment.
Fred Hersch talks of Harris as one who “plays and writes with flair and real soul" and DownBeat Magazine writes that “Harris' compositions deal with themes of strength, love, courage, and self- awareness. It's a heavy task he's set up for himself, and he meets the challenge gracefully.”
Harris' most innovative project as a composer are: “Resonance: A Contemporary Symphonic Reflection Through the Courageous Lens of Steve Biko”, “Roots, Water and Sunlight: A Contemporary Octet Expedition through the Expressions of James Baldwin", and “Pulse”, a compelling through-composed chamber work combining improvised and fully notated music. As a leader, he has released six albums. For his latest, “EMBERS,” one review quotes: “Comparing Harris' writing to that of Charles Mingus in the early ’60s and Herbie Hancock in the late ’60s is not faint praise. He stands on the shoulders of these masters, adds a singular personal voice, and has recruited strongly individualistic players to give his music definitive interpretation.”
Harris is part of the exclusive YAMAHA’s roster of Jazz piano artists. Among his most notable collaborations are Terri Lyne Carrington, Dayna Stephens, Ralph Peterson, Ameen Saleem, Greg Hutchinson Greg Osby, Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Curtis Lundy, Caroline Davis, Bill Pierce, Francisco Mela, Avishai Cohen, Delfeayo Marsalis, Ben Street, Jason Palmer, Rudy Royston, Frank Lacey, Etienne Charles, Eric McPherson, and Sheryl Bailey.
Chris Lee, bass
Chris Lee is a composer and bassist from Los Angeles, California. His musical journey started with the piano at age 5, but he has since found his true calling in the bass.
He is currently in his last semester at Berklee College of Music studying Film & Media Scoring but is equally involved in writing and performing his own music.
As a jazz performer, Chris has had the opportunity to share the stage with jazz giants such as Terri-Lyne Carrington, Kris Davis, and Gretchen Parlato, as well as perform at major festivals like the prestigious Monterey Jazz Festival.
Chris enjoys composing original music within the modern jazz and modern instrumental forms. His audience is always captivated by his music!
Hassan Sabree, drums
Pianist Joy Cline Phinney, a native of Boulder, Colorado, has appeared in solo and chamber music recitals across the United States and in Europe. Notable concerts include a guest appearance with the Boston Symphony Chamber Players; engagements on the New York Philharmonic Merkin Hall Concert Series; performances as a member of the faculty at the Sarasota Music Festival and the Cremona International Academy in Italy; “Colour of Music Festival” concerts in Houston, TX, Richmond, VA, Nashville, TN, and Columbia, SC; and collaborative concerts at Boston, Brandeis, Colorado, Colorado Mesa, Duke, Harvard, Illinois (Chicago), Illinois State, Seattle, Stanford, and Tufts Universities, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Joy has collaborated in chamber music concerts, recording projects, and radio and television programs with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. She is the pianist with the Boston Public Quartet, a resident artist with Castle of Our Skins, and the collaborative pianist/coach with the Boston Symphony’s Project STEP. Her recording credits include Our American Roots: Music for Cello and Piano (Delos), and Rider on the Plains (Albany Records), both with cellist Emmanuel Feldman.
Joy earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in piano from The Juilliard School, and a Doctorate in Ensemble Arts from the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University.